We'll be on top of things all day and will detail any significant Flames news as it happens. Otherwise, minor updates and thoughts will be shared here.

More as it happens...

Thoughts and News

- I haven't really weighed in on the Jay Bouwmeester deal yet. The more I let it sink in, the more I dislike the move. The two pieces from St. Louis are exceptionally marginal - essentially replacement level bits. It would be like the Flames trading Chris Breen and Joni Ortio (except Ortio probably has more upside than Berra).

I understand the team wants to add first rounders for what is supposed to be a very good draft, but Feaster didn't even get that as a firm piece. The Blues are tottering on the edge of the playoff bubble and if things go wrong the pick slides to 2014 - essentially destroying the lone reason for rushing to trade Bouwmeester now.

As I've said more than once in this space, there's no impetus to simply sell the farm right away. The Iginla return was unfortunately limited by circumstance, but the Bouwmeester return didn't have to be. He was signed for another year, so Feaster had an additional 10 or so months to explore the market for JayBo and maximize the return.

In short - if the blues package was the best Feaster could get at the time, I think he should have played hardball and waited.

- Alex Burmistrov's name is still being mentioned a lot as a guy the Jets may be willing to deal. I'd like Calgary to make a call and at least see what the Jets are asking for. There may be a match since WPG wants scoring and the Flames have guys like Cammalleri and even Cervenka they can market.

- I am hoping the Flames can manage to move Kipper to Toronto today, but if he does move it will be an ignominious end to what was an excellent tenure here in town: allowing 3 goals on six shots to the Oilers, including a one-handed backhander from behind the red line to Ryan Jones. Of course, when an organization rides its stars into the ground, that's the risk you run.

- TSN reporting that Kipper has opted to stay in Calgary and then retire. Oh well.

UPDATE - the big deals are starting to trickle in now:

- Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brassard, Dorsett and John Moore. Dorsett is a decent grinder option, Brassard is terrible and John Moore is a decent defensive prospect. I like that deal for Columbus because Gaborik's lackluster numbers this year are luck, not talent, based.

- Jason Pominville traded to the Wild for Larsson and Hackett. Pominville is a really good addition for the Wild as they search for the playoffs. He can play gainst other top-6 players in tough circumstancea and survive, which is a big need on Minny.

I think the Flames are done dealing with an exception of some small clean-ups. I would like to see Sarich, Babchuk, Comeau, Smith, Butler, etc gone.
I don't think teams will take on Cammi's contract. Tanguay, however, could be desired as a depth option for a team poised to make a long playoff run.

I'd be Happy if the Flames could get anything for Kipper, Sarich, Babchuk, Butler or Comeau...

IF they move Cammy, Glencross, Tanguay or Stempniak, I hope they at the very least obtain first round picks, because there doesn't seem to be any grade A prospects available... and the prospects they have obtained are mediocre at best.

I completely agree with your take on the trade and your assessment of the "prospects" we got back. Faster does not seem to be a good negotiator and I get the feeling that the other GMs see him as an easy mark.

No reason to trade just for the sake of trading but I do wonder now as to how much influence the owners are exerting behind the scenes.

However, I am anticipating the worst, cause they scratched Connelly in Toronto, I have a bad feeling he's coming back for some reason, no idea why, just seems like the most Flames thing to do.

Connelly is a UFA. If he is a throw in on a decent deal for Kipper it doesn't really matter. Mind you I am not very confident in Feaster getting a great deal, he will probably get a 4th rounder, Connelly and Scrivens for Kipper in Feaster's quest to have 20% of the Flames contracts in goalies.

King for sure should be gone. If we are going a new direction he surely has to go as he is a big part of we are in this awful state. You can see evidence that Feaster is feeling pressure. He is making repeatly bad moves in desperation. Last year he did nothing at the deadline when he clearly should have. I fear what he might do today.

I think today will be pretty quiet overall, most of the runmoured big names have moved and most GMs have learned to make their moves in advance of the trade deadline, as we've seen, to avoid overpaying.

That being said I hope Kipper allows a trade, we could use the assets.

Surely someone is in need of some depth on D? Babchuck and Sarich I'm looking at you...

I don't think anyone can blame Kipper and family, if he was planning to retire in a month as many people think, for just wanting to finish up here in Calgary and then be done. Who would want to be traded in this situation? At least he has been up front about it and not retired 2 or 4 weeks after arriving in T.O.

Don't blame Kipper really, all the chips are in his favor so why not use them?

I wonder if it will make teams think twice about those heavily frontloaded ontracts in future though, because as we see it essentailly gives a de facto NTC for the older player because they are not sacrificing meaningful money by threatening to not report.

Kipper must not care about winning enough. He could of had a shot at past glory and helped out the Flames with a return. How can you say no to one last shot at the title? He may regret that the rest of his days. His wife must be a ball breaker.

It is getting frustrating how every tidbit of information and bad optics is out in public and discussed. Kipper seemed intent on retiring all along, the organizations insistence on trying to push him and out all of this publicly has just made us more of a joke. Basically what Flames Brass has said to T.O. is "We can't deal with him, see what you can do."

All of you who are moaning about the injustice of Kipper not wanting to go. If you were on the verge of retirement and your company was going to transfer you to another city for a month or two, what would you say? Likely you would say, I am retiring so I am not going anywhere.

Shows a lot of these guys are more interested in performing for money first and winning second. The lockouts really showcased that it. Kipper could have played a few more weeks and had a shot at a run then moved at the end of spring anyway. To be fair, maybe the leafs were looking for next year out of him as well, which was a deal breaker for him. Its all history now anyway.

It's not like the Flames would have received much anyway, but he is a professional athlete that played a very selfish card. Loved the way this guy played for most of his years here, in Calgary, but it doesn't change what his actions are: selfish.

Shows a lot of these guys are more interested in performing for money first and winning second. The lockouts really showcased that it. Kipper could have played a few more weeks and had a shot at a run then moved at the end of spring anyway. To be fair, maybe the leafs were looking for next year out of him as well, which was a deal breaker for him. Its all history now anyway.

If he was interested in money he would likely prolong his career, he is choosing his family over millions more.

Also, he could have played during the lockout if he was that money hungry.

It's not like the Flames would have received much anyway, but he is a professional athlete that played a very selfish card. Loved the way this guy played for most of his years here, in Calgary, but it doesn't change what his actions are: selfish.

Sundin let his contract expire and walked after the team and city turned on him. Kipper is retiring and not going to another team. The situations are not similar at all.

His actions are HUMAN. If the Flames had made efforts to trade him last summer and he had balked, then maybe you could play the selfish card. In what is probably the last month of his career, please cut him a little slack. He and his wife have a gradeschooler and a newborn at home, and he likes it here. Judging from trade returns recently, what does he bring in, a second or a third rounder? BFD.

Honestly, none of this is at all surprising. Remember, Kipper is the guy who refused to play for his country in the Olympics unless they promised to make him the starter. He's going to do whatever he wants, not whatever is best for the team.

That being said, I still have to thank him for giving us a chance quite a few times in the last decade...

Even if Calgary insisted on moving JBo this year, not waiting until the last minute was stupid. Feaster is obviously a terrible poker player.

Name how many better D there are in the NHL. JBo is probably in the top 30. And we essentially moved him for a signle first round pick.

re: Kipper - mixed feelings. By rights he should be suspended, but imagine the PR nightmare. Not one media outlet would side with Calgary and they've had enough PR nightmares this season already. So just leave him alone.

Truth is, he should've been moved earlier, just like Iginla, and by not doing the rebuild earlier, the Flames have made their bed and now have to lie in it.

Still, you'd think Kipper would want one more playoff run and shot at glory. Also pretty sure he can afford to move his family out there. We're only talking 2-3 months.

I had a great time watching Kipper play for the Flames. If he wants to retire next year, then so be it. I don't care what his reasons are, it's his right to do so. He knows what he is giving up to make this decision and I for one will respect it.

I'm also going to applaud in appreciation for the work he's produced. He wasn't consistently aweful, and many nights he was stellar, and mostly a fairly average goalie over the course of his time with the Flames.

If he doesn't play another game this season, it will be a shame, but I don't mind as long as he's not benched out of spite. If he's being sat to make room for a more capable alternative, or to help grow a young goalie, then that's entirely up to how the Flames want to run their organization.

Sundin let his contract expire and walked after the team and city turned on him. Kipper is retiring and not going to another team. The situations are not similar at all.

You are right. Sundin was fully within his contractual agreement to do what he did with the Leafs, and hung them out to dry. Kipper has no such contractual right, and has handcuffed the Flames. You are very protective of him and I get that, but this is not defendable. Getting traded is part of a professional hockey players life.

@ Steve Suba
Yes, it human. He opted to take care of himself, instead of honouring a contract.

Again, don't get me wrong. Kipprusoff is one of the most important players to have ever played for the Flames (and that certainly true in the last decade). I respect and loved his play, but like it or not this is a part of his record, and it's a reflection of his character.

You are right. Sundin was fully within his contractual agreement to do what he did with the Leafs, and hung them out to dry. Kipper has no such contractual right, and has handcuffed the Flames. You are very protective of him and I get that, but this is not defendable. Getting traded is part of a professional hockey players life.

@ Steve Suba
Yes, it human. He opted to take care of himself, instead of honouring a contract.

Again, don't get me wrong. Kipprusoff is one of the most important players to have ever played for the Flames (and that certainly true in the last decade). I respect and loved his play, but like it or not this is a part of his record, and it's a reflection of his character.

It would be different it he was 30 and saying that he would take his ball and go home, but he is done. No sense in crapping on his last month.